A zoom lens for a projection display device includes, in order from the long conjugate length side, a first lens group having negative refractive power and including at least one aspheric surface, a second lens group having positive refractive power and including at least two lens components, a third lens group, a fourth lens group having positive refractive power, and fifth and sixth lens groups. The second, third, fourth, and fifth lens groups move with coordinated movements during zooming. Preferably, the zoom lens satisfies three conditions related to the wide-angle and telephoto focal lengths and the focal lengths of the third and fifth lens groups, the fifth lens group has positive refractive power, and the first and fifth lens groups have particular lens element and lens component constructions. A projection display device uses the zoom lens.